Tomonoura port

Tomonoura is an old port town
facing Seto Inland Sea (Seto Naikai), and is located about 15 km south
of central Fukuyama city.
There is a round cove about 500 meters in diameter, and it has been
used as a small port.

The sea around Tomonoura is just at the center of Seto Inland Sea.
When the tide comes in, the seawaters from east and from west hit each
other here.
And when the tide is out, the seaweters flow to the east and to the
east from here.
So the ships sailing on this sea had waited for the change of the flow
in this port.

Many temples and shrines had been built since the 9th century around
this port, and this town developed.
Due to improvement of sailing skills, the need for waiting had been
decreacing since the 19th century, then this port became a small
fishing port.

But its beautiful scenery was appreciated, then the Emperor family had
sometimes visited here.
And this area was designated as a part of the national park.

Around the port, some facilities of the port in the 17-18th centuries
remain.
And old houses are in the town.
But now, this town remains divided over the landfill of the port for
the construction of a road.

"Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea" is a 2008 Japanese animated film by
Studio Ghibli.
Hayao Miyazaki, its director, plotted the film by staying here for two
months.

"Haru no Umi" (The Sea in Spring) is a famous Japanese music for koto
(Japanese harp) and shakuhachi (bamboo vertical flute).
It was composed by Michio Miyagi (1894-1956) in 1929.
He lost his sight at the age of eight, but he composed this piece from
his childhood image of the sea of Tomonoura that he saw before he lost
his eyesight.

Lighthouse /1/ : The symbol of Tomonoura. It was
built in 1859, and the height is 5.5 meters.
Candles were used as the light. The nickname is "Tourodou".

Irohamaru
Museum /2/ : Irohamaru was a
trading ship of Kaientai which was a trading society in the end of Edo
Period (1603-1868).
The leader was Ryoma Sakamoto (1836-1867), a hero at the end of the
samurai period, and the ship sank off the coast of Tomonoura in 1867.
In this museum, the articles from sunken ship are displayed.

Oota
Residence /3/ : The residence of
medicinal liquor brewery built in the 18th century.

Fukuzenji
temple /4/ : The Buddhist temple
of Shingon Buddhism founded around 950.
The reception hall "Taichourou" was built around 1690, and was used for
the delegacy from Korea.

Tomonoura
Museum of History and Folklore /5/ : The museum introducing the history
and culture of Tomonoura.
It is on the ruin of Tomo Castle.

Iouji temple
/6/ : The temple of
Shingon Buddhism. It is said that it was founded in 826 by high priest
Kuukai.
The scenery from this temple is one of the best places in Tomonoura.

Numakuma
Shrine /7/ : The Shinto shrine.
It is unknown when this shrine was founded.
A god of sea has been enshrined.

Ankokuji
temple /8/ : The temple of Rinzai
Zen sect founded in 1273.
Shakado temple and afew Buddha statues are designated as national
important cultural properties.

Benten Island
/9/ : The small island
located about 0.2 km east of Tomonoura.
There is Betendo temple on the island.

Sensui Island
/10/ : The island located
about 0.3 km east of Tomonoura.
It is the symbol of the scenery from Tomonoura.

Scenic or Nature / Park or Garden / Resort / City, Town or Village / Quarter or Street / Temple or Shrine / Museum or Laboratory / Market or Commercial facility / Factory / Other Building or Construction / Historic place / Remains / World Heritage Site

How to get to here

By route
bus

By route bus, about 30 minute from
Fukuyama station on San'yo Shinkansen.